Signs of Sex Addiction: Are You Struggling in Silence?

Some people struggle to accept that sex can be an addiction. Here are some basic guidelines that can be helpful to understand:

Have I suffered consequences for my behavior? Some problem areas for people: loss of job, marriage, relationships health (STD’s, HIV, Hepatitis), money, inattention to those around us, lack of focus.
Have I tried repeatedly to stop but just can’t stay stopped? This usually indicates that our best thinking can’t seem to fix the issue. This is not about willpower alone. There are usually deep emotional drivers that we are trying to resolve with our behavior.
Has may behavior escalated over time? The stuff we started with so many years ago does not seem to satisfy any more. We find ourselves going to darker and more extreme versions to get the same feeling.
Does what I do go against my chosen set of beliefs? Often, sex addiction goes against everything we believe. This can bring tremendous shame – the feeling that I am bad, not that I have done a bad thing.